Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-19
THE ANGEL IN BLUE.

The little 1ShlhT hlhhI Va - ~ TUE |
north of France, is tut little known. The
inhabitants of the town OF '3--- close by.
and the families of officers garrlsnnNI there.
come to it III the oppressive summer months
to battle and breathe th''s''a arr but the small
hotel that has assumed the ptetcutious title of
Casino is chiefly supported ny invalids, who
seek the duh place for-the sake OF the InVlgor-
ating breeze .aGd quirt.
The fishers dwelling in the miserable huts
are a hardy, vigorous race. Many Of the
men leave for tn, iceland co,tiShing, and the
women live as they can, catching Shrlmps or
seeking bait for the fishermen who are content
to throw their nets and catch fish for the
neighboring markets
You constantly meet women, some almost
girls, dressed in mourning, with coarse
black handkerchief tied round their heads
they are the wives of the fishermen drowned
and lost in tho far off seas, and the wrap
framing their faces is the badge of their sad
widOwhood.
The sea is generally far ont. and across the
wide expansr of sand women toll with their
nets, their legs and feet bare, and their short,
ragged petticoats dripping as they walk
Sometimes patch OF color varies the monet
ony. A fine, strong limbed girl with bold
black eyes has Il scarlet handkerchief on her
head, or a little boy, mousse, wears bright
red cap But the old women, bowed down
with toll and age. AMI the widows in their
sad black, cast dark lowering shadow as
they stagger under their baskets
Now however, the sea was high and beat
against the downs, where here and there a
few stunted trees formed kind of wood.
Some boats were entering the harbor,
steamer passing from England, and some sea
gulls flashed white against the sky. The sun
was setting, casting lurid glare on the dane
ing waves and lighting up two figures man
and girl, standing on the downs.
III you examined the man, you could easily
discern that some mortal disease was sapping
away his strength and that deathly ashen
hue often stole over his face. Though only
IS years OF age he supported himself with
stick, and leaned heavily on it
The girl was enchantingly fair: her hair
was so light that in some shades it
looked powdered, and fell in feathery
masses over her sloping shoulders, franz
ing and softening the splendid carnation
of her transparent skin, on which, by curl
Gus contrast, the eyebrows and the long eye
lashes were marked quite dark The eyes
were of a limpid clear hlue, and had an limo
cent trusting expression They were cast
down now, and her fin -rs were playing ner-
vously with some shells She was dressed
completely in her favorite colOr-blue; her
dress had forget me nots printed on it, and
her large hat had blue gauze twisted round
it, from which the lovely face rose like an
angels from a misty cloud
The charm Was 50 great that she had been
sarnamed L'ange Ell bleu, the angel in blue"
and the rough fishers when they met her,
signed themselves and were tempted to fall on
their knees before her.
The mans face was convulsed with passion,
his voice trembled, and he staggered more
than ever The darkness of his skin, hair
and eyes denoted his southern origin, and his
blood seemed now on fire.
@You have Knocked me- he said, seizing hin
companions delicately veIned wrist, and real
izing, even in this brutal grasp how soft and
velvety it felt. "You knew that | came here
for quiet and repose, You knew that | was
separated from my wife, and yet You played
your coquette's role! You drew me on you
suffered me to love you, and then. when |
adored you, you turned round surprised and
scandali1ed You do not know the harm You
have done me-
He pressed his hands to his forehead and
sob shook his frame.
The girl shiverel, though the heat was
oppressive.
"How could | tell she answered. Il
thought of you rs an invalid, separated from
your friends, and gave YOU great sympathy"
Her voice was marvelnnslY sweet and her
eyes dangerously soft aud clear as they looked
up.
when -" here she hesitated, when
found you had mistaken my feelings | re
GREETED bitterly, and d,l | not prove it by
sufferings All, mon reut" she cried, Il
wrote because my heart bled for you, and
now you refuse to return me my letter"
"You doubt, then, my hOnOrl" exclaimed
her companion at is for that reason you
claim your letter. have it always here, he
took it from his breast pocket, 'but / will
keep it. Revenge is sweet"
The girl turned pale She saw no way out
of the dilemma She was the daughter of
G retired colonel living in the neishboring
town of G., and what would become of
her If people knew she had written 10 mar
ried man!
She had been on visit to her sister, mar
ried to a wealthy merchant, who had built a
villa close to the sea One afternoon, as she
had strolled out, she had met this man, whose
admiration had hitherto amused and fiattered
her. The sensitive state of his shattered
nerves and frame had rendered his passion
still more acute, and, throwing himself at her
feet, he had declared his alteration. His mar
riage had been most unhappy one, and it is
impossible to fathom what hopes the amiabl-
ity and coquetry of this charming siren had
given him.
She laughed at him, then afterward,
haunted by his pteOus look, her heart soft
ened, and out of pity and compassion she had
written to him to console him by her regret.
1t was only few lines, prettily worded, of
excuse and compassion; but now a few hours
ago the Comte de Viemesant, struck by her
ravishing beauty had asked her In marTiage.
She had accepted him, and realized how this
scrap OF paper might compromise her and In
jure her prospects, for was it not the proof Of
her previous coquetryi But she claimed her
letter In vain
"Do not know your ambition" said the
Infatuated man, "that while You laugh at me,
you are seeking to be madame In colntessc
What will you give me for this letteri To
me whom you have nearly killed. l will
leave instruction that q Iettre de fare part
shall be sent to You of my death, and then
yen will know / cursed you on my death
bed"
The girl now hid her face in her hands and
cried bitterly, murmuring piteously:
pray, give me my letterl pray, give me
my letter."
A third person had come up unawares. 1t
was the Lieut.. Valiant, in garrison in the
town oil IL, the same town where Valen-
tine and her father, the Col Dubois, resided
He carried his gun, having been shooting
rabbits on the downs, and his tall, handsome,
elastic figure, and his proud, fair face showed
to advantage IN his loose sportsmaus costume.
He was young officer of much promise, hav-
ing greatly distinguished himself in the Ton
quin war, and having escaped with serious
wound that had proved 50 deep and so nearly
fatal that the regimental doctor warned him
that any violent excitement might make it
open afresh and prove fatal. He was great
favorite with the Col Dubois, who looked
upon him as young hero.
"What does this meani" he asked, angrily
ut Is only coward who would brighten a
woman" he cried, his fair complexion flush
ing. aMlle Valentine let lie claim this letter.
am here to help youl"
The devotion in the manly, harmonious
tones was unmistakabe, but who could help
loving this adorable creaturel
aThis is, then, another of your lovers? Ma
foil pity the comte," cried her companion,
furiously.